Foldable stool or table.



H. J. SWARTS. POLDABLE STOOL 0R TABLE.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 20, 1908. I 948,533. Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. J. SWARTS. FOLDABLE STOOL 0R TABLE.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG. 20. 1908.

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Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

UTTED STATES PATENT HENRY T. SWARTS, OF ALHAMBRA, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOROF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES H. TEMPLE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

FOLDABLE STOOL OR TABLE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. SwARTs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Alhambra, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Foldable Stoolsor Tables, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to foldable stools or tables, or other supports,the parts and members of which are adapted for extension into operativeposition or condition, and to be collapsed or knocked down into compactposition or condition; and the invention has for its object to providean improved device or article of the character referred to, which shallbe superior in point of simplicity and inexpensiveness of construction,stability and rigidity in service and convenience in use, manipulationand transportation; and which will be generally superior in point ofefficiency and serviceability.

The invention consists in the provision, construction, combination,association and relative arrangement of parts, members and features, allas hereinafter described, shown in the drawings, and finally pointed outinclaim.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a perspective View of the nucleus or bodyportion of a foldable structure embodying the invention, parts beingbroken away for clearness of illustration; Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe same together with other parts and members of the improvedstructure; parts being broken for convenience of illustration; Fig. 3 isa vertical sectional view of the construction shown in Fig. 2, togetherwith a portion of the seat proper of the stool; parts being broken awayfor convenience of illustration; Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view ofa further feature of the improved construction; Fig. 5 is a perspectiveView of a foldable stool, in entirety, embodying the invention; Fig. 6is a top plan view, partly broken away for clearness of illustration ofa modified form of construction, constituting a foldable table; Fig. 7is an enlarged trans verse sectional View, taken upon the line 7-7, Fig.6, and looking in the direction of the appended arrows, parts beingbroken away and shown in full lines for clearness of illustration; and,Fig. 8 is a perspective i View of certain parts and members of theSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. August 20, 1908.

Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

Serial N 0. 449,549.

structure shown in Figs. 6 and 7, being in folded or collapsed positionand condition.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are denoted by the same referencecharacters.

Referring with particularity to the drawings, the improved foldable,stool, table or other support, comprises a nucleus or body portion Awith which are combined and associated a plurality of lower supportingmembers or legs B, and a plurality of upper supporting members or strutsC; all of which supporting members are foldable with relation to eachother andthe nucleus or body portion A. The seat proper D in the form ofconstruction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, and the table top Ein the form of construction shown in Figs. 6 to 8, inclusive, are eachassociated with the upper supporting members C. The lower supportingmembers B are adapted, when in extended positions, to rest upon thefloor. The upper supporting members C are projected into extendedpositions prior to connection with the seat proper D or the table top E.

F designates means operating together with the seat oroper D or thetable top E for maintaining the upper supporting members C in extendedoperative positions; and G designates means, operating respectively inconnection with the respective upper supporting members G, formaintaining the lower supporting members B in extended or operativepositions.

A particular preferred form of construction of the improvementsconstituting the invention, as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, is asfollows: The nucleus or body A comprises a central upright rectangulartubular portion 8, from the respective faces 9, of which projecthousings or frames 10, four in number, each of which receives andsupports and accommodates between its parallel plates 1O the inner endportions of one of the lower supporting members B and one of the uppersupporting members C. Transversely through each of the housings orframes 10 passes a detachable pivot pin or bolt 11 by means of whichboth of the respective members B and C are pivotally supported inparallelism or overlapping relation, according to the position ofadjustments of said supporting members. At one side of each housing orframe 10, above said pivot and adjacent to the top thereof, is

arranged a stop a comprising the means F; said stop including aninwardly and clownwardly beveled or undercut portion 12 against whichthe upper surface portion of the respective upper supporting member C isadapted to bear, when said member C, is in extended operative position,and a flat side face past which the member B passes and by which saidmember is held against lateral movement. Laterally from the up per endportion of each of the members B projects a stop pin 6; said stop pinextending inwardly of the respective housing or frame 10 and toward theside of said housing provided with the respective stop a, which is cutaway at its lower portion, as at 13, to accommodate the said stop pin,which constitutes the means Gr, when the respective member B isprojected into extended or operative'position; at which latter time thestop pin rests upon the upper face of the respective extended member 0,as clearly shown in Fig. 3. lVhen the members C and B are in collapsedor folded condition, said members extend in parallelism, projectingvertically downwardly from the nucleus or body portion A; the upper endportion of the member B extending past one side of the stop a andsubstantially to the upper portion of the respective housing or frame10; and the upper end portion of the respective member 0 lying beneaththe stop a. The lower and inner portion of each housing or frame 10 isprovided with an outwardly projecting stop plate 0 against which therespective member C, beneath the pin or bolt 11 bears when in foldedposition. The vertical side plates or members 10 of each of the housingsor frames 10, are parallel and relatively spaced to accommodate thepivoted upper end portions of the respective pair of members B and C;and said side plates or members 1O are provided with suitable openings14 to receive the respective pin or bolt 11. The outer end portions ofthe members B and C are beveled, as at 15, so that when the members arein extended operative positions, said end portions shall presentsuitable horizontal surfaces, respectively for resting upon the floorand for receiving the seat proper D, (or the table top E shown in Figs.6 to 8, inclusive).

For connecting the seat properDwith the supporting members C, I provideattaching means (Z, shown in detail in Fig. 4, and comprising a body 16adapted to enter and fitting each of the members C, which members arepreferably all of rectangular tubular formation, as clearly shown inFigs. 2 and 3 with respect to the members C; together with which body 16are associated lateral ends 17 with which the seat proper D is directlyconnected. The ends may be provided with holes or openings 18 for thereception of pins, rivets or brads 19, which firmly connect the seatproper with said ends 17. The body 16 and ends 17 may be of integralsheet metal formation, formed of a blank bowed in the center, as at 20,the end portions of the blank being flared outwardly and oppositely toform the ends 17. The central bowed portion 20 of the blank may bereinforced by a sheet or strip 21 of suit able material inserted betweenthe folds or sides thereof. The seat proper D may comprise a rectangularstrip or sheet 22, of textile material, leather or other suitableflexible substitute. The attaching means cl,whe1i connected with theseat proper D, at properly spaced points, or corners, may be readilyconnected with the supporting members 0 by introducing the bodies 16 ofthe attaching means within the tubular members at thr upper endsthereof. The ends 17 rest upon the upper end portions of the members G.

Referring with particularity to the form of construction shown in Figs.6 to 8, in elusive, the nucleus or body portion A, th\ supportingmembers B and C, the attaching means (Z, and the attendant features anddetails of the same, are constructed in accordance with the descriptionof the same above given, as shown in detail in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive.The table top E comprises a central horizontal member 23, a plurality offoldable lateral or radial attached members 24, and a plurality offoldable lateral or radial detachable members 25. The supporting membersC are directly connected with the members 24 through the agency of therespective attaching means (Z. The central horizontal member 23 ispreferably of square rectangular formation, and the members 24 arepreferably of substantially rectangular elongated formation, beinghinged respectively in connection with the central member 23, at therespective side edge thereof, as at 26, so as to be capable of extendingin a plane common with that of the member 23 and of being foldeddownwardly so as to depend at right angles from the member 23. Themembers 25 consist each of two sector shaped sections or portions 25 and25 respectively, which are hinged together, as at 27, at a side edgeportion of each of the same whereby they may be folded into flatface-to-face relation. The outer edge portion of the sections 25 and 25are provided with suitable pins 28, constituting together with openingsin the side edge portions of the members 24, attaching means whereby themembers 25 are detachably connected with the members 24, completing acontinuous table top E. The outer edge portions of the members 24 and 25are comprised within a predetermined design, such as that of thecircular formation shown in Fig. 6. The hinged provision between thesections 25 and 25 of the members 25 are only shown in dotted lines, butare similar to those shown at 26, and of an} preferred and suitableform, whereby the extended sections 25 and 25", when united with themembers 24, are locked against disarrangement by depression. Thesupporting members C maintain all of the members 23, 24 and 25, inhorizontal extended positions as a unitary table top E.

The operation, method of use and advantages of the improvements infoldable stools or tables or other supports, constituting the inventionwill be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings and the following statement:For transportation or storage, the supporting members B and C arefolded downwardly to extend beneath the nucleus of body portion A, incompact position, or condition, upon the pins or bolts 11; the seatproper D or table top E with the attaching means (Z being wrapped aroundthe aforementioned parts and members or folded and passed among themembers B and C; or all the parts and members may be wrapped or combinedtogether in knocked down form, in any con venient or suitablearrangement. The entirety, providing the proportions and dimensions ofthe parts and members are proper, may be readily packed in a bag,suit-case, trunk or other receptacle; or, in fact, conveniently carriedin a coat-pocket, or carried by hand, the total necessary weight of thesame being exceedingly small.

The above statement is with respect to the form of construction shown,in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive. In the form of construction shown in Figs. 6to 8, inclusive, the same procedure is followed, with the exception thatthe foldable lateral members 24 of the table top E are folded downwardlyupon their hinges at the sides of the central horizontal member 28,after the foldable lateral or radial detachable members are sprung freefrom the members 24, The sector shaped portions 25'" and 25 of each ofthe members 25 may then be folded together by means of their hinges 27and combined with the members 23 and 24 and the members B and C, in anypreferred and convepient manner, the attaching means (Z remaining fixedto the members 24.

To extend and project the members B and G into operative positions forconnection with the seat proper D, or the table top E, through theagency of the attaching means (Z, the struts G are swung upwardly fromcollapsed position into engagement with the respective stops aconstituting the several means F. This brings the upper inner portionsof the struts G into engagement with the stop pins Z), respectively,constituting means G, respectively, forcing the upper end portions ofthe legs B inwardly of the housings or frames 10, respectively, thepins 1) being accommodated by the cut away portions 13 of the stops 0,respectively. The legs B now project in downward inclination and properbraced relation for sustaining the entire device, and the struts Cproject in upward inclination and in positions, are properly grouped,for connection with the seat proper D or table. top E through the agencyof the attaching means (Z. When the seat proper or table top is soconnected with the struts C, the latter are prevented from relativemovement; and the legs B are consequently prevented from relative movement, as the inner upper portions of the struts C, bearing upon the stoppins I) hold and maintain the legs B each in the downward and outwardinclination, before mentioned, and shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 7.

Each of the forms of construction shown in the drawings serves thepurpose required with effective stability and rigidity; and the,

device in either of the forms shown, or in other forms coiningmanifestly within the spirit of the invention may readily be knockeddown and reduced to compact form and condition for transportation orstorage.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent:

A device of the character described comprising the seat or other part,the struts detachably connected therewith, the legs having angular upperends, and a nucleus consisting of a central upright portion, a series ofradial housings each formed of a pair of parallel plates projecting fromsaid portion and spaced for the reception of one strut and one leglapping each other therebetween, a pin through the plates and the strutand leg and forming a common pivot for the latter elements, an undercutstop rigid with that plate which is adjacent the strut and having abeveled lower face with a cut away portion and a flat side face pastwhich said leg moves, a pin projecting laterally from the leg above itspivot and adapted to enter said cut away portion in the stop when thestrut lies against said face, and a stop plate projecting out-wardwithin each housing below its pivot, and adapted to abut against theinner edge of the leg when the latter is folded to a vertical position.

- In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY J. SVVARTS.

WVitnesses:

TILLIE E. ADAM, CAL F. HUNTER.

